Commissioner Shea to Testify on Religious Freedom in Sudan Before Human Rights Caucus

WHAT:The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom will testify Thursday during a briefing before the Congressional Human Rights Caucus entitled "Sudan: The Continuing Human Rights Tragedy." Commissioner Nina Shea will testify on behalf of the Commission.

WHEN:Thursday, September 28, 2000 at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:2358 Rayburn House Office Building

BACKGROUND:The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has found the government of Sudan to be the world's most violent abuser of the right to freedom of religion and belief. The 17-year civil war raging in this African nation has taken some 2 million lives, mostly Christians and followers of traditional animist religions. The Commission believes that U.S. government attempts to enhance religious freedom depend on the effectiveness of our policies in addressing the broader conflict in that nation. The Commission proposes, in its first annual report issued May 1, a comprehensive 12-month plan to significantly strengthen the United States' response to this crisis. The full report can be found on the Commission's Web site at www.uscirf.gov.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress." src="http://www.uscirf.org/images/layout/subbottomtext1.gif" />